Milwaukee Symphony Musical Journeys WEEKLY STREAMING PROGRAMS Episode 1 Notes
AARON COPLAND Born 14 November 1900; Brooklyn, New York Died 2 December 1990; New York, New York
Quiet City Composed: 1939; revised 1940 First performance: 28 January 1941; New York, New York
In 1939, Aaron Copland was called upon to provide incidental music to Irwin Shaw’s Quiet City—for his cash-strapped friends in the Group Theatre. The play’s leftist political leanings—and the opportunity to work with talented, cutting-edge artists on socially relevant issues—drew Copland to the project. Though the production failed, the following year the composer fashioned portions of the score into a ten-minute orchestral piece. Decades later, in conversation with oral historian Vivian Perlis, the composer recalled: Quiet City was billed as a “realistic fantasy,” a contradiction in terms that only meant the stylistic difference made for difficulties in production. The script was about a young trumpet player who imagined the night thoughts of many different people in a great city and played trumpet to express his emotions and to arouse the consciences of the other characters and of the audience. After reading the play, I composed music that I hoped would evoke the inner distress of the central character. [Group Theatre co-founder Harold] Clurman and Elia Kazan, the director, agreed that Quiet City needed a free and imaginative treatment. They and the cast… struggled valiantly to make the play convincing, but after two try-out performances in April [1939], Quiet City was dropped. From its 1941 premiere, Copland’s nighttime urban pastorale has needed no programmatic context, except perhaps its title, to make it one of his most popular scores. “Since it is mostly quiet, it fills a niche in concert programs,” the composer modestly remarked. But we know better: Along with Barber’s Adagio for Strings and Ives’s The Unanswered Question, it ranks as one of America’s most contemplative musical meditations. Recommended recording: Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic (Deutsche Grammophon) FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN Born 31 March 1732; Rohrau, Austria Died 31 May 1809; Vienna, Austria
Sinfonia Concertante in B-flat major Composed: 1792 Premiere: 9 March 1792; London, England
For nearly 30 years, beginning in 1761, Prince Nikolaus Esterházy was Haydn’s patron and employer. The Esterházy family was among the richest and most influential of the Hungarian nobility, and Nikolaus’s musical tastes and requirements shaped the traditions at the Esterházy court. Across the years, at various times and in various combinations, Haydn’s duties—both as composer and music director—included instrumental music (symphonies, concerti, divertimenti, chamber music, etc.), church music, opera, and cantatas to commemorate special occasions. Musical Journeys Episode 1- March 27 PROGRAM NOTES
Premiere: Composed:1822 Symphony No.8inBminor, D.759“Unfinished” Austria Died 19November1828;Vienna, Austria 31January1797;Vienna, Born FRANZ SCHUBERT work hastenstoitssparklingconclusion. detour,harmonic andanequallyunexpectedpause bringusupshortbefore thisdelightful Anotheroperaticoutburst,asurprising the mirthfulexchangeamongsoloperformers. inspired recitativo thematic materialwhiletheircolleaguesaddfiligree around them.Mock-serious,opera- dominant key(Fmajor),affords eachoftheprincipalsanopportunitytoembellish basic jovial cadenzaisdemocraticallydistributedamongthem.ThesongfulAndante,setinthe The orchestra takesabackseat asthesoloistsengageinaspiritedconversation; In theopeningAllegro, thefoursoloinstrumentstakespotlightalmostimmediately. artists. Theprimaryideaisoneofchambermusic,andthespiritsharing. self), oboe,cello,andbassoonwere playedbymembersoftheorchestra, ratherthanguest thepartsforsoloviolin(Salomonhim- Ignance Pleyel.AswiththeseMSOperformances, aged bytheimpresario towritesuchapiece,duethepopularityofsimilarconcertoby concert series,aswastheSinfoniaConcertante.It’s quitelikelythatHaydnwasencour The master’s so-called“London”symphonies(No.93-104)were composedforSalomon’s arrived onNewYear’s Day 1791. 15 December, Haydnandhisnew“manager”were ontheirwaytoEngland,where they and havecometofetchyou.Tomorrow weshallreach anagreement.” Andsoitwent.By impresario, showedupon Haydn’s doorstepunannounced.“IamSalomonfrom London His plansquicklychangedwhenJ.P. London violinistturned Salomon,aGerman-born whereVienna, heintendedtoliveaquietlife. Kapellmeister. Lackingobligationsofanykind,hedecidedtomovefrom Eszterházato (wind bandforout-of-doorsmusic).Haydnwaskeptonatfullsalary, asthetitular share hisfather’s loveofmusic.Hedismissedtheorchestra, retaining onlytheFeldmusik Prince Nikolausdiedon28September1790.Anton,hissonandsuccessor, didnot of the Viennese composers. symphonies, sonatas,orchamber works of theViennese Rarely, ifever, doesonefind three consecutivemovements inbasicallythesamemeter The firstmovementisin3/4,thesecond3/8,and theincompletescherzoisalsoin3/4. may haveleftthesymphonyincompletebecauseof the predominance oftriplemeter. to Rosamunde sketched afinalethatinsteadbecamethebigBminor entr’actefor hisincidentalmusic time andenergy immediatelyafterward. OthershavetheorizedthatSchubertmay distracted bytheinspirationforhis Wanderer Fantasy of 1822becauseheassociateditwithhisinitialoutbreak of syphilis—orthathewas Some havespeculatedthathestoppedworkinthemiddle ofthescherzoinfall minor. To thisday, musicologists disagree astowhyhefailedcomplete thesymphony. Schubert wasonly25whenhecomposedthetwomovements oftheSymphonyinB portrayedthetext’sharmonies truemeaninginawaythatmusicbefore hadnotknown. eminence inthelattergenre isespeciallynoteworthy; Schubert’s melodiesandexpressive peerless masterpiecesinorchestral, piano,andchambermusicaswellsong.Hispre- Franz Schubertistheonlygreat composernativetothecity. Viennese Heproduced Recommended recording: , butallevidenceforthisiscircumstantial. Thenagain,saysanother, Schubert passagesforthesoloviolinopenfinale,thenHaydnbringsback (Arte NovaClassics) Christopher Hogwood,BaselChamberOrchestra 17 December 1865; Vienna, Austria 17 December1865;Vienna, for solopiano,whichoccupiedhis -
Musical Journeys Episode 1- March 27 PROGRAM NOTES
Composed: Daphnis etChloéSuiteNo.2 Died 28December1937;Paris,France 7MarchBorn 1875;Ciboure, France MAURICE RAVEL and chromatic thatSchubertlaterbuildshisgentlylingeringcoda. harmonies, introduces thesecondtheme.Itisuponthisinspired moment,thoughwithstrangekeys over shiftingchords; theplaintivelystillpassage forviolins,outliningaminorchord, which between lowstrings/brass/windsandhighstrings;theserene woodwindsolos thatsoar In thislovelymovement,afeweloquentdetailsstandout:thefirsttheme’ twocontrastingthemesinsonatinaform. but notwithoutmomentsofdrama.Italternates The secondmovement,setinthesomewhatunexpectedkeyofEmajor, iscalmerinspirit Andante conmoto lyricism inamovementotherwisedarkandtroubled. broken off inextraordinary gestures ofpathosanddrama.Itisalsoarare momentofsweet pated accompaniment.Nolessremarkable thanthetuneitselfisthatit,too,unfinished— in allofclassicalmusic,statedfirstbythecellosandthenviolins,toagentlysynco shared byoboeandclarinet.Thenthe Unfinished openssoftlyinthestrings,followedbyatheme The firstmovement,castinsonataform, Allegro moderato forthefirsttimeinDecemberofthatyear,performed 37yearsafterSchubert’s death. score. In1865,itwasgiven totheconductoroforchestra Musikverein oftheVienna and payment foradebtoranobligation.Inanycase,Anselmhadperfectrighttoretain the brenner in1823,topasson tohisbrother Anselmasaprivategift.Thismayhavebeen in shows thatSchubertgavethemanuscriptofUnfinishedSymphonytoJosefHütten A fewdecadesago,thedisclosure ofdocumentsfrom theHüttenbrenner familyarchives Likewise, thefateofmanuscripthasbeenplaguedbytheoriesbasedonflimsyfacts. that adesire foradditionalmovementcanhardly arise.” in thefirstmovementdiesawaytransfigured inthesecond.Thisconclusionissosatisfying a musicianwasevergiventoutter. Thatwhichmovedusdeeplyasanemotionalstruggle songs. Thesecondtheme,playedbythecellos,containsoneofnoblestinspirations as wasattainedbynosymphonistexceptBeethovenandSchuberthimselfonlyinhis is fortunatethatitremained unfinished.Thefirstmovementisofatragicdimensionsuch (1898):“Ifeelit Beethoven Since Symphony the caseforthisviewinhismonographThe Nearly 120yearsago,thegreat AustrianconductorFelixWeingartner (1863-1942)stated there issimplynothingelse tosay.” copy, there cameatimewhere isperfect; hethoughtthiscannotbecontinued.Theform bars ofascherzo.ButafterSchubertfinishedthefirsttwomovements,andwr after thesecondmovement.Whichisnottosayhedidn’t try. There are sketchesfor afew ina2015interview,Nicolas Harnoncourt “thatSchubert founditimpossibletocontinue Many believeSchubertregarded theworkascomplete.“Iamconvinced,”saidconductor same time—Stravinsky’s Firebird The a compelling studyincontrasttotwoother balletswrittenforDiaghilevaboutthe impresario oftheBalletRusse,Sergei Diaghilev(1872-1929). Premiered in Paris in1912,it’s Maurice RavelpennedthemusicforDaphnis et Chloé Recommended Recording: First performance: 30 April1914;Paris,France(SuiteNo.2) 8 June1912;Paris,France(completeballet) 1909-12 George Szell,ClevelandOrchestra (Sony) (1913). Rite of Spring (1910)andhisriot-inducing The brings usoneofthemostfamoustunes atthebehestofvenerable s lyricaldialogue ote outaneat
- - Musical Journeys Episode 1- March 27 PROGRAM NOTES
Hale asfollows: in ancientGreece. Thescore ofSuiteNo.2includesahelpfulsynopsis,translatedbyPhilip Choreographer MichelFokine’s (1880-1942)shepherd-boy-meets-shepherd-girl storyisset ofSuiteNo.2,butweareperformances fortunatetohearitinthisrecording. uses awordless chorusto stunningcoloristiceffect. Thiselementisusuallyexcludedin setting themusicin5/4meter, withtheaccentonbeattwo.Forcompleteballet,Ravel In the“Danse générale”thatconcludeswork,Ravelratchetsupexcitementby constructs aflute,wehearoneofthemostbeautifulsoloseverwrittenforthatinstrument. a piccoloandthree soloviolinsinvokeawakeningbirds. Later, asDaphnis(portrayingPan) In itsunforgettable andlight; openingbars,thesunrisesandbathesmusicinwarmth gradations oftimbre andshading”(RobertP. Morgan). Here are justfewthingstolistenfor. the greatest orchestrators ofalltimeisonfulldisplayhere, rifewith“extremely subtle Ravel calledtheSuiteNo.2(1914)hismostimportantscore. Indeed,theworkofone Recommended recording: young mencomesonstage.Joyoustumult. enter; theyare dressed asbacchantesandshaketheirtambourines...agroup of ofDaphnis.Beforearms thealtarofnymphsheswearshisfidelity. Young girls The dancegrows more andmore animated.Inmadwhirlings,Chloéfallsintothe accents oftheflute. and onitplaysamelancholytune.Chloécomesoutbyherdanceimitatesthe disappears amongthereeds. Indesperationhepluckssomestalks,fashionsaflue, his loveforher. Thenymphpusheshimaway;thegodbecomesmore insistent.She young nymphwanderingoverthemeadow. Daphnis,asPan,appearsanddeclares Daphnis andChloémimethestoryofPanSyrinx,Chloeimpersonates Syrinx, whom thegodloved. shepherd Lammonexplains thatPansavedChloé,inremembrance ofthenymph crown. Hisdream wasaprophetic vision;theinterventionofPanismanifest. Theold by shepherdesses. Thetwo rushintoeachother’s DaphnisobservesChloé’s arms. awaken him.InanguishhelooksaboutforChloé.Sheatlastappearsencircled dawns. Thesongsofbirds are heard... Herdsmen enter... TheyfindDaphnisand Daphnis liesstretched before thegrotto ofthenymphs.Littlebylittleday ofrivuletsfedbythedewthattricklesfromNo soundbutthemurmur rocks. Program notes by J. Mark Baker. by J. notes Mark Program George Szell,ClevelandOrchestra (ColumbiaOdyssey)